Dragon Riders train in the martial skills of the Horseback Warrior, armed and unarmed, mounted and unmounted.

The study combines horse riding and fighting skills with the weaponry of the old horse tribes of Asia, the Central Steppes, Eastern and Western Europe.

The most notable horse tribes in history were the Huns (Magyars) followed later by the Mongols.

The significance of both these peoples is noted in their use of the horse as a tactical weapon rather than just as a means of transport more typical of earlier horseback warriors.

HUNS (Magyars)

The development of the stirrup is attributed to the Hun warriors in the period 0 – 300AD and its introduction changed the ability of the rider to balance and manoeuvre while fighting. The Huns developed the use of lighter weight bows that could be shot faster with very rapid arrow reloading techniques.

Writers of the era described the Hun horseback warriors as a “lightning fast whirlwind of attack, with devastating firepower. . .”

Their skills in horsemanship were renowned across Eastern and Western Europe and exist today in the schools of Kassai Lajos across the world and from the “Valley” training center in Kaposvar, Hungary where he lives. (see menu Kassai Lajos)

MONGOLIANS

In the time of Chinggis Khan and the following Mongolian Empire the greatest horseback armies the world has ever known conquered and controlled the vast territories from the Eastern coasts of China through to the lands of Austria and Poland.

History records that after the great battle with the Huns in the Carpathian basin there were no substantial armies left in western Europe to oppose their advance.

It was only the death of Ogedai Khan, the son and successor to Chinggis Kahn, that called all the armies back to Karakaroum to elect a new Khan that stopped the ambitions of Tsubodai and Batu, the great generals, from reaching the Atlantic ocean.

Mongol scouts had already reported back on the defenses of the last countries in the west of Europe, the order of Teutonic Knights had been destroyed in the battle at Sajo river, and the best horse warriors of the day had been defeated.

The Mongolian campaign across the Asian, Russian and European continent was a horseback campaign stretching more than 9,000 miles. When one puts aside the brutal aspects of the common historical writings of the Mongol armies and focuses on the horseback warrior skills we find tremendous qualities of endurance, strategy, and great weaponry skills.

Dragon Riders utilise the Chinggis philosophy of taking the “best of everything in progression . . .” This allows us to blend the skills from the two greatest horseback tribes, the Huns and the Mongols.

UNARMED COMBAT

Taking another step in warrior evolution Dragon Riders train in BJ-MMA, the combat fighting system of the modern day legendary martial artist, Bob Jones of Australia.

This video of a recent BJ-MMA training seminar at WAIMA the Western Australia Institute of Martial Arts gives a very good prelude of the mixed fighting skills that are taught within Dragon Riders and BJ-MMA schools and the wide range of ages and people that train.

Dragon Riders are official representatives of Kassai Horseback Archery the Horseback Archery World Asscoiation and BJ-MMA in Australia and Spain. However, like all horseback warriors they have a nomadic streak and can be found in many countries.

A Dragon Rider, when asked where he was from answered . . . ”Where my feet touch the ground is where I stand, where I stand is my home . . .”

PAUL JEFFEREY

7TH DEGREE BLACK BELT, ZEN DO KAI

8TH DEGREE BLACK BELT, TARA MILIATA

Head Instructor BJ-MMA Australia -1984

Paul stepped into the world of Bushido at age 13 and began to study Karate.

At 24 he earned 1st degree Black Belt in Zen Do Kai Freestyle Karate

He entered the 2nd degree “League of Blood” at age 27 fighting 30 x 2minute rounds of physical contact

At age 33 he passed a 4th degree weapons grading using Katana, Kenjitsu and Bo (short staff)

Over 43 years of training he has familiarised himself with many weapons, nunchaku, sai, naganita, archery, Kendo, modern firearms and the formidable Mongolian recurve bow.

He has performed duties as personal bodyguard to Boy George of Culture Club and Elvis Costello

For 14 years Paul worked professionally as a Karate Instructor including 2 years teaching as the Head Instructor for BJMA in Melbourne, Australia

At the height of his Karate teaching he governed 70 dojo’s (clubs) throughout New Zealand with more than 150 Black Belt students

Now he is a specialist instructor within the Dragon Riders teaching horse skills, mounted weaponry and unarmed combat.

Equestrian

Born under the zodiac sign of the Sagittarian archer in 1953, by the age of 3 years Paul was addicted to horses and has ridden ever since.

A highly experienced and successful long distance horse trainer and rider having completed more than 22 x 160km races and many times completed long distance races over multiple days.

Paul has travelled his horses around the world from New Zealand to Dubai, Spain, England and Ireland representing New Zealand at World Championship events.

Paul owns extensive farmland in New Zealand where he breeds and trains horses for his personal interests.

A true nomadic Horseback Warrior with training bases and interests on the Costa Brava – Spain, the Gold Coast – Australia and the Trans-Carpathian mountain regions of western Ukraine.

Like Chinggis Khan and Horseback Warriors throughout the ages, Paul follows the power of the horse spirit banner. Horses are the messengers of the gods and when a warrior dies a horse waits to carry them speedily across to the next world.

James Menehira

6th degree Black Belt BJ-MMA

A horse rider since a young boy, James grew up with horses in the family backyard. Never one to turn down the opportunity to ride and for 2years relied solely on horses as transport when he lived in a remote farming area in New Zealand.

A 6th degree Black Belt in BJ-MMA and a graded level 6 instructor in Muay Thai.

James is a talented weapons master now training and instructing in horseback weaponry and unarmed combat.